11 Aug 2012
The mug shot of singer Randy Travis after his arrest in Grayson County this past Tuesday doesn’t look good. According to the report we read, police were summoned by a 911 call about a man lying in the road west of Tioga. Upon responding, they found Travis’ Pontiac Trans Am, which had been driven off the road, stuck in construction barricades. When arrested, Travis was naked, and allegedly threatened the officers. The mug shot shows injuries, including a black eye and dried blood on his face.
He was arrested for drunk driving, and a possible charge of “obstruction or retaliation” may be referred to the grand jury for possible indictment. The latter charge is a reference to section 36.06 of the Texas Penal Code, which involves an intentional or knowing threat to harm another person in retaliation for, in this case, being arrested by a police officer. The offense is a third degree felony under Texas law, and ordinarily carries a possible prison sentence of up to ten years, along with a fine not to exceed $10,000. This is not Travis’ first brush with the law; he was arrested in Sanger in February for public intoxication.
We obviously can’t comment on the validity of the charges against Travis. We adhere to the principle that all defendants are innocent until proven guilty. We can point out, however, that there has been a rash of reports on celebrities (in addition to Travis) and high-profile athletes with criminal troubles in 2012, and here are a few of the recent ones:
- On August 3, undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. was released from jail in Las Vegas after serving two months of a three-month sentence for misdemeanor domestic violence;
- On July 31, an arrest warrant was issued for actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. for allegedly pushing a female bartender;
- Actor Fred Willard was arrested on July 18 for lewd conduct;
- On July 30, Los Angeles Laker forward Matt Barnes was arrested on a felony charge of threatening a police officer;
- On July 15, NBA veteran and newly-signed New York Knick Jason Kidd was arrested in New York for DWI after his SUV allegedly jumped the curb and knocked down a utility pole;
- On July 9, Mick Brown, drummer for classic rocker Ted Nugent, was arrested in Bangor, Maine after he allegedly took a golf cart for a spin down a local street. He has been charged with stealing the golf cart as well as DWI; and
- On June 30, Marcus Jordan, son of NBA legend Michael Jordan, was arrested in Omaha for disorderly conduct and obstruction while allegedly drunk. The younger Jordan is a guard on the University of Central Florida basketball team.
These are just a few of the recent happenings among celebrities and sports figures. The list could go on and on. It would include, among others, over 20 NFL players arrested during this year’s offseason. The NFL arrests include numerous drug and alcohol related charges.
It is difficult to know what to make of all this. One thing we do know, however, is that many of the charges involve alleged use and/or abuse of alcohol and drugs. And a number of the offenses involve conduct which is much more serious than minor scuffles. The question that keeps popping up is how many of the events could have been avoided had the individual in that particular situation abstained from ingesting liquor or other mind-altering substances.
If you have been charged with a crime involving alcohol or drugs, you need to contact an experienced Austin criminal lawyer today.
Law Office of David D. White, PLLC
1205 Rio Grande Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 369-3737